


set a fire in my head tonight

by fir8008



Series: give the bruises out like gifts [8]
Category: JBJ (Band), Produce 101 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, elements of nonlinear narrative, kensoo are That Couple TM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 21:43:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12044871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fir8008/pseuds/fir8008
Summary: It's not that they're always fighting, though they do fight a lot, but it's just another one of the things Kenta chalks up to Insoo being younger than him, along with Insoo's jealous streak and how they don't always talk about their feelings (but Kenta puts up with it because they adore each other)





	set a fire in my head tonight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello! This happened purely because SEpupppupp (did i get all the p's) enabled me on twitter to keep chasing all of my kensoo-centric dreams of the skinny love universe so here we are. This was not supposed to be this long, so it might be a little disjointed. There are also some elements of nonlinear narrative here, and flashbacks kind of happen concurrently with the main plot. I also wanted to take a bit of a different approach to this couple since they're quite shamelessly in love in "come on skinny love." I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> There is some implied sexual content, but it's not explicit and I didn't think it warranted an M rating, so it's T. 
> 
> Takes place before and during Chapter Ten of "come on skinny love"
> 
> Title taken from Halsey's "Trouble-Stripped"

“That same guy has come in here every day for the past two weeks and every time he asks if you’re around,” Taemin whispers when Kenta has his back turned to the counter. “It’s starting to get creepy. Unless, you didn’t start dating someone else did you?” 

“Nope, I’m with the same guy,” Kenta answers. “What does he look like?” 

“Tall, dark hair, he’s good looking, but he’s giving off weird stalker vibes,” Taemin replies. “Should I take his order or do you want to? I think he’s going to call me out if I tell him you’re not here again.” 

“It’s okay, I’ve got it,” Kenta smiles. 

He takes the guy’s order, and he certainly gives off stalkerish vibes, but Kenta smiles politely and responds to his small talk and chats amiably. Kenta doesn’t want him to go off making a scene about Kenta being rude or something and give Kenta’s manager another reason to get on his ass. 

“Who was that?” Insoo - ah, the other reason his manager is up his ass - is scowling when he leans over the display case of desserts to talk to Kenta later. 

“Don’t lean on the glass, stop trying to get me fired,” Kenta snaps and Insoo stands up straight. “I don’t know who that was, it was just another customer.” 

“Why was he so chatty?” 

“Because I am breathtakingly gorgeous and mortal men can’t resist my charms,” Kenta answers batting his eyelashes.

Insoo is still scowling. “You’re mine.” 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I like what you just said to me,” Kenta sniffs. 

“You are my boyfriend,” Insoo amends. 

“Getting better,” Kenta says. “One day we’ll get rid of this jealous streak.” 

“I am not jealous,” Insoo says hotly. 

“You are jealous,” Kenta replies. “Irrationally. And always. Of everyone.” 

“I don’t want anyone stealing you away,” Insoo mutters. 

“I can’t be stolen, I’m not an object,” Kenta huffs. “Don’t you have class to go to?” 

Insoo doesn’t move. “Yeah.” 

Kenta raises his eyebrows. “Well go to class.” 

Insoo frowns. “You’re not going to kiss me?” 

Kenta swats at him. “I’m working. I’ll kiss you later.” 

“Fine,” Insoo says. “I’m going to hold you to that.” 

Kenta smiles and waves away Taemin’s confused looks when Insoo leaves. Kenta knows Insoo, and has known for a long time that Insoo is a jealous type even though Insoo always denies it. Even before Kenta left him the first time, Insoo was jealous of the people around Kenta, wanting to know why Kenta wanted to look elsewhere when Insoo would so gladly be his and only his. Kenta didn’t pay attention then because he didn’t want to entertain Insoo’s fanciful notions that they would somehow overcome Insoo’s lies about his age and trust each other enough to form a relationship able to withstand that age gap and Kenta’s return to Japan. Kenta brushed off Insoo’s irrational jealousy as a symptom of his young age and told himself if he were in Insoo’s position, he would probably feel the same way. 

When he gets home, Insoo is on him, all whiny and needy. Kenta hold his face and kisses Insoo slowly and languidly. He feels Insoo melt into his kiss and he presses their bodies together. Kenta is still just a little taller than Insoo, even after Insoo grew up a little and got a little broader and more handsome in the time they were apart. 

Kenta pulls away and Insoo protests softly. “I’m tired,” Kenta says, “and I have to work on one of my papers.” 

“But I’ve been waiting for you,” Insoo whines softly. “I’ve been thinking about you.” 

“But I have to do work,” Kenta pats Insoo’s face. “I only promised you a kiss.” 

Insoo can pout at him all he wants, but Kenta has a good record of not caving into Insoo’s whining and neediness so he pinches Insoo on the cheek and goes to his desk. Kenta can hear Insoo flop down heavily onto their bed as he begins to work. Insoo comes and checks on him later and whines softly when Kenta says he’s still working.

“Come to bed,” Insoo says, rubbing Kenta’s shoulders. “You have to wake up early.” 

“I’m almost done. I’ll be in soon. You go to bed. You have to get up early too.” 

Insoo pouts, but goes, and soon Kenta climbs into bed with him and curls up beside Insoo’s warm, snoozing form. 

 

The next day, the guy is back and this unfortunate thing is compounded with not only Insoo sitting in the window seat glaring at him (poor awkward looking study buddy be damned) but also the fact that Taemin called in sick so the morning shift is just Kenta and the new kid who isn’t allowed to use the cash register yet. 

Seonho is nice and all, but he’s a high school kid and this is his first job so he’s pretty useless at doing anything other than recommending cakes because he told Taemin and Kenta he applied for a job at this cafe because he spent so much time eating in it (and Kenta remembers him coming in and cleaning out their dessert display every time; the guy who did their inventory damn near cried when they told him their most loyal customer was now going to get an employee discount).

Kenta takes the guy’s order and is sure to smile cheerfully and lets the guy tell him something mundane about himself that Kenta won’t remember as he tries to supervise Seonho using the machines that make the espresso and ignore the death glare Insoo is sending him across the cafe. The guy leaves and Seonho makes everything worse. 

“Hyung, who was that? Was that your boyfriend?” 

Seonho is a part-timer, so there’s no way he could’ve seen the way this guy has come in (every day for two weeks according to Taemin) looking for him. “Nope, that’s not him,” Kenta says cheerfully. “Good job with the espresso maker, I think we might’ve found the task for you.” 

Seonho is beaming so Kenta ruffles his hair and decides he won’t worry about the storm he’s going to face later when Insoo chooses to make a scene. 

During the next shift, when someone comes and relieves Kenta from manning the counter and babysitting Seonho, Kenta goes outside to take out the trash and runs into Insoo. 

“Why was that guy there again?” 

“Insoo, I don’t know why, I just make coffee, okay?” 

“And who’s that kid?” 

Kenta narrows his eyes. “My coworker. Don’t start with my coworkers again.” 

Insoo opens his mouth like he’s going to say something but snaps it back shut. Kenta sees it and he has a feeling he knows what Insoo was going to say. “What? Go on. Say it.” 

Insoo wavers a bit, but Kenta knows that Insoo doesn’t back down from things like this so eventually the wishy washy look leaves Insoo’s face and he says what Kenta thought he would say. 

“I had to ask because you like younger guys.” 

Kenta is appalled. “Seonho’s in high school!” 

“So was I!” 

“And if you hadn’t lied to me about how old you were we wouldn’t be standing here now!” 

Insoo blinks, his argumentative demeanor fizzling out. “Do you mean that?” 

“Why wouldn’t I mean that?” Kenta snaps. “If I knew you were still in high school when I met you I would have told you I wasn’t interested.” 

“Hyung, did you not like me back then?” 

“I liked you but you were too young for me.” Kenta sighs. “There’s no way to get around that. You were too young for me and nothing should’ve happened.” 

Insoo looks strangely at him, but maybe it’s because they’re not at home where they can have a proper argument. “What about now?” Insoo looks away from him. “Am I still too young for you now? Is that why…” 

Seonho pops out of the back door and stops short when he sees Insoo. “Oh, sorry, I’m interrupting something… um, Kenta hyung, I think we broke the cash register.” 

“How do you…” Kenta sighs. “I’ll be right there.” He looks at Insoo. “We’ll finish this later.” 

While Kenta fixes the register, Seonho is bouncing on his toes and looking over his shoulder. “Who were you talking to?” he asks.

“Huh? Oh, that’s my boyfriend.” Kenta answers as the cash drawer finally pops open. “How did you even do that?” 

“I don’t know, that’s why we called you.” Seonho says. “Were you fighting?” 

“We always fight,” Kenta says. “Oh, that sounds bad. We don’t always fight… we just fight a lot?” Seonho is looking a little concerned so Kenta decides to play his foreigner card, “Ah, Korean... what am I saying? I’m getting all mixed up.”

That successfully distracts Seonho who immediately starts telling Kenta that he’s really good at speaking Korean and he’s been learning Chinese in school and he still only says gibberish. The rest of the shift goes uneventfully and Kenta heads to his evening class and forgets about fighting with Insoo. His desk mate isn’t paying any attention, but neither is Kenta, so he spends most of the lecture picking cat hairs off of Longguo’s jacket when Longguo puts his head down to nap.

Kenta and Longguo part ways at Kenta’s bus stop as Longguo peels off to go buy cat food and Kenta leafs through his textbook on the ride home. He can’t really focus on what he’s reading, he’s thinking about Insoo and what’s waiting for him at home.

They really don’t always fight, but they do fight a lot. To the extent where his friends seem to worry about him. 

“I don’t really know,” Longguo told him once as they were trying to take notes out of one textbook in the graduate center library late at night. “If I were dating someone, I would hope we wouldn’t fight all the time.” 

“It’s not all the time,” Kenta had insisted. “And it’s never anything serious.” And it wasn’t. Just stupid things, like Insoo never made the bed or he left his dirty clothes all over the flat, or that Kenta ate the leftovers Insoo had been saving or he didn’t change the toilet paper when he finished a roll. It always ended the same way too, hot and heavy in their bed until they were exhausted and sweetly promising the other to stop having such annoying habits, and so Insoo would put his dirty clothes in a laundry basket and Kenta would replace the toilet paper for a while until they would eventually revert back to old habits and fight again.

“That’s… worse?” Longguo shrugged. “It’s not my business, but I guess I think it’s worse you fight so much about little things. It’s not like that’s anything to fight about. But you said your boyfriend was younger than you, right? Ah, maybe that’s why.” 

Kenta hadn’t much liked the sound of that. He was sensitive about the age gap between him and Insoo, to the point where he found himself making things up when people asked him how they met. 

“Oh,” Kenta remembers standing there nervously and suddenly feeling very sweaty when Longguo first asked him. “We met through some mutual friends.”

It wasn’t true but it was all Kenta could think to say. Longguo hadn’t questioned it, so Kenta kept telling people that story if they asked. He couldn’t do much about people asking about Insoo being younger than him (and Kenta couldn’t exactly say Insoo was mature for his age) so Kenta said age was just a number after all and that usually got people to stop asking questions. He felt bad, they weren’t malicious questions, but he just couldn’t answer honestly. 

Kenta shoves his textbook back into his bag and rests his head against the cool glass of the bus window. Insoo never looks bothered telling people that Kenta is older than him, and most of Insoo’s friends knew how they met before they even met Kenta in person. It never made them fight, but Insoo never seemed to lose that jealous streak of his, even after they moved in together and began fighting about other little things.

It wasn’t until Kenta started working at the cafe did he and Insoo have something more serious to fight about. Kim Taemin. The cafe had a manager, but he mainly sat in the upstairs office watching them through CCTV and didn’t deign to descend to the actual cafe unless he saw something he didn’t like (usually Insoo loitering until Kenta discovered the window seat was in a blind spot) so Kenta and Taemin felt that the cafe was very much their domain. They were the same age and had plenty to talk about during slow times and joked about getting more tattoos together. But they didn’t see each other outside of work (and never went through with their half-baked plan to get more tattoos) so Kenta doesn’t know why Insoo started to get jealous of Taemin. 

Kenta should’ve really known better than go to the storeroom with Taemin at the counter and Insoo loitering in his window seat in a mostly empty cafe because when he came back out Insoo was leaning over the counter and most certainly not ordering another coffee. 

“What are you doing?” Kenta hissed, pulling Taemin out of his way to confront an angry Insoo. “You are being so embarrassing. Stop.” 

When they got home, it got so much worse and they had never fought like that before, and it burned Kenta to think that Insoo actually thought Kenta had wandering eyes and wanted to hook up with his own coworker. But even though it was a more drawn out fight, it still ended the same way, in their bed, with Kenta telling Insoo he wasn’t looking anywhere else because he had Insoo and he liked Insoo best like this, underneath him and very naked, and he couldn’t even see anyone else. Insoo had seemed satisfied by that until the next morning when Insoo was sucking a dark hickey into Kenta’s neck way above where his shirt collar would cover. 

“Insoo!” 

Insoo was totally unapologetic as he licked over his handiwork and said, “It’s winter, hyung, just put on a scarf.” 

Kenta spent more time than necessary making sure the scarf he had actually covered the hickey as he scowled at Insoo. “What was that for?” 

“I just want him to know that you’re mine.” 

Kenta didn’t like that. He knew Insoo was a jealous type and maybe it was cute when he first went back to Japan and Insoo would leave him whiny little messages about not falling into the traps of wolves and to wait for him, but it got significantly less endearing when Kenta ignored his messages so Insoo responded by directly messaging Kenta’s friends, in badly translated Japanese, threatening them to stay away from his boyfriend. And Kenta had turned red when his friends asked him why, if Kenta really hadn’t met anyone in Korea like he said, why there was some unknown Korean number sending them nasty messages. Kenta had told them it must’ve been some mistake and to ignore it, but he knew it was Insoo. 

“I’m not yours,” Kenta snapped. “I’m my own person and I told you Taemin’s just a friend and we work together. You play all the time with your friends and I never complain about that.” 

“You know all of my friends. I have no idea who you see.” 

“I’m going to be late. We’ll talk about this later.” 

Kenta went to work and immediately started stammering out apologies to Taemin who seemed pretty unbothered. “It’s just because he’s young,” Kenta explained. “He’s sensitive.” 

“It’s fine,” Taemin said. “I was just a little surprised.” 

“We got into a big argument about it, but I think he got the message,” Kenta sighed. 

And Insoo did, to an extent. He still didn’t seem to be overly fond of Taemin and was still frosty whenever it was Taemin who had to wait on him at the cafe but he didn’t go so far as to try to pick fights again. Kenta was more worried about Insoo’s little possessive streak and his insistence that Kenta was his. Kenta didn’t like that, but it was something else Kenta decided to chalk up to Insoo being younger than him. 

When Kenta gets home, Insoo is curled up on their bed under the covers. Surprisingly, he’s not up and pacing, ready to fight more, so Kenta changes into his house clothes and climbs into bed next to Insoo. Insoo rolls over as soon as he does and his eyes are dark and fiery. Insoo really was ready to fight more, he was just laying down. 

“Hey,” Kenta says, trying to keep his voice soft. If Insoo’s in a fighting mood, they’re going to fight, but Kenta isn’t really in the mood so he tries to keep Insoo calm. 

“Hey,” Insoo says back. “So. About earlier.” 

Kenta sighs. “I wish you wouldn’t be so jealous of people around me. The guy in the cafe is creepy and I don’t like how he comes in to bother me. And Seonho is a little kid.”

Insoo is glaring and opening and closing his mouth. And again, Kenta knows exactly what Insoo wants to say, so Kenta sits up because now he’s in a fighting mood too. “Go ahead,” he seethes. “Crack your stupid fucking joke about how I like younger guys.” 

Insoo sits up too. “It’s not a fucking joke. Why shouldn’t I be worried about who you’re talking to?”

“Because I have never done anything to make you suspicious! You’re the one who is always spending time with your ex boyfriend and I have never said anything!” 

“Sangbin’s not… I wasn’t dating him!” 

“You were sleeping around with him! You were sleeping around with him when you met me!” 

“But you know Sangbin and you know nothing is happening now, I don’t know any of your friends so I don’t know who you see!”

“So because you haven’t met my friends you assume I’m sleeping around with them? Maybe I don’t want to introduce you because you jump to these conclusions!” 

Insoo has that look on his face again. “Hyung, you don’t want to introduce me because you’re ashamed of me, isn’t that it? You think I’m too young and immature and you’re embarrassed to tell people about me.” 

Kenta is dumbfounded but he’s still fuming. “Where did you get that from?” 

“You said I was too young for you back when we met and if I hadn’t lied to you we wouldn’t be together now. Are you just with me because I begged you to consider me but you don’t really want to be with me? Is that why you’re looking elsewhere, because you’re ashamed of me?” 

Insoo looks really small and pathetic when he reaches out for Kenta, but Kenta is too aggravated and jerks his arm away and stands up. “That doesn’t make any sense. Are you out of your mind?” 

Insoo deflates. “It’s true, isn’t it? Hyung, I’ll be better, I’ll change…” Insoo reaches for him again but Kenta steps out of his reach. “Kenta hyung…” 

“Don’t touch me,” Kenta snaps. He’s shaking. “I don’t want to talk to you if you’re going to be this unreasonable.” 

“Where are you going?” Insoo sounds alarmed as Kenta starts walking away. 

“I’m going to sleep on the couch,” he snaps. 

“Don’t do that, I’ll sleep on the couch…” 

“I have to get up early anyway so I can go to work and make sure that creepy guy sees me behind the counter.” Kenta says as he walks out of their bedroom. 

 

Kenta is still steaming in the morning and this isn’t normal. He and Insoo usually resolve their fights the same night they start them so they don’t go to sleep angry and are back to being sweet and in love by morning. But Kenta was too angry to follow their pattern and is still fuming. 

Taemin notices. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah. Insoo and I are just having a fight.” 

“Again? I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s fine. It’s just different? We don’t fight like this. You know, we just fight about little things.” Kenta sighs heavily. “It’s not usually like this.”

“What’s different this time?” 

“He’s…” Kenta scratches the back of his head. “Insoo thinks I am looking at other people because he’s too young. It isn’t like that. But he still acts like he did when he was younger. He has always been very jealous.” 

“Can I ask you… how old was he when you met? You always say it kind of vaguely.” Taemin shrugs. “You don’t have to tell me. Feel free to tell me to go choke.” 

“He was in high school,” Kenta admits softly. “I didn’t know he was that young, he looked older and I didn’t ask him so things moved faster than they should have. He lied to me too but I found out and I told him that I couldn’t see him anymore. But he was persistent, even when I went back to Japan.” Kenta sighs again. “Him being younger isn’t a problem anymore. He’s an adult. But I find it hard to answer if someone asks me how we met.” 

“So did you fight about that?” 

“He thinks I don’t want to introduce him to my friends because I am ashamed to be seen with him. It’s not true. I just don’t know what people will think.” Kenta pauses and admits, “Of me. I don’t know what people will think of me.” 

It bothers him to think that Kenta’s own feelings of confusion and softened self-loathing have been misinterpreted by Insoo as being ashamed to be with him. It’s not that Kenta is ashamed to be with Insoo, he’s just mad at himself for feeling like things should have happened differently. That Kenta wouldn’t feel the way he did if seeing Insoo again was really their first meeting - when they embraced for the first time after parting on ambiguous terms and Insoo had obviously grown up in the years they were apart. His shoulders were broader and Kenta could feel the muscles in his waist were more solid even though his face was much the same as he remembered it, except now Insoo’s nose was pierced, but his hair was still blonde and wave permed and the way Kenta felt seeing Insoo made it seem like they hadn’t really spent all that much time apart. 

Kenta was impressed when Insoo told him he had his own car (even though it was a clunker) and was holding down a steady job (though Insoo said he suspected he was going to have to quit to focus on school when he went to university) and so Kenta waited until they came to a red light before putting his hand on Insoo’s crotch. 

Insoo had jumped in his seat and his eyes were shaking as he looked back and forth between Kenta and the road. “Kenta! I’m driving!” 

Kenta looked out the passenger side window when the light changed back to green as he idly dragged his thumb down the fly of Insoo’s jeans. “Then drive me somewhere private.”

Kenta had outwardly remained cool as a cucumber even though inside his blood was getting hotter and hotter as Insoo was looking around nervously and fumbling with his credit card trying to book a room in a love motel without anyone looking at them funny. Insoo’s hands were shaking more trying to get into the room and Kenta found his nerves cute, considering all of Insoo’s past posturing that he was grown enough for anything Kenta threw at him. Kenta had just smiled at how flustered Insoo was when Kenta pushed him against the door, hips flush together.

“I wonder,” Kenta had breathed, tangling his fingers in Insoo’s hair, “if you still like the same things as before,” and pulling hard. 

“Maybe you should explain that to him,” Taemin suggests. “That it’s not him.” 

“I know,” Kenta says. “I just haven’t wanted to admit it to myself.” 

His shift seems longer than usual when Insoo doesn’t come to visit him (and make a scene) and Kenta finds it boring. It’s a slow day too, so he and Taemin pass time chatting and Kenta’s mind races with the things he needs to tell Insoo later.

When he gets home, Insoo isn’t, so Kenta changes into his house clothes and settles in at his desk to do schoolwork. He and Longguo really shouldn’t have dozed off last night because the assignments don’t make sense to either of them but by texting back and forth they manage to figure out what they need to. Even when Kenta checks the time and sees it’s gotten much later, Insoo still isn’t home, so Kenta cooks by himself and tries to not worry. He knows Insoo is busy practicing for a showcase and it’s soon, so naturally Insoo might be out late. It’s not the first night Insoo has been out late either. So Kenta really tries not to worry. 

Insoo does eventually come home a couple hours later, looking sweaty and exhausted. While he stumbles into the shower, Kenta reheats food and Insoo looks surprised at the gesture. “You must be tired,” Kenta says to him fondly. “Eat up.” 

Insoo eats quietly while Kenta washes up. There’s a soft, dewy look in his eyes that Kenta is particularly fond of. He loves Insoo and all of his dark eyes and fire, but he likes Insoo like this too, soft and subdued at the end of a long day. 

When Insoo gets up, he wraps his arms around Kenta’s waist and nuzzles at his chest, tucking the top of his head under Kenta’s chin and holding on tightly. “Hyung,” he whimpers,” hyung.” 

“We need to talk,” Kenta says, as he tries to get Insoo to look at him, but Insoo is clinging hard enough that Kenta can’t move him. “Insoo.” 

“Hyung, I’m sorry but I need to go first.” Insoo says. “I love you so much and if you don’t love me as much as I love you I don’t know what I’ll do.” 

“Oh, Insoo,” Kenta sighs. “Insoo, I love you. I’m sorry. I’m not ashamed of you, this is my fault. I am too afraid of what people will think of me so I hide. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

Insoo hiccups loudly against the base of Kenta’s throat and Kenta can feel the wet trickle of tears against his skin. “I love you so much. I have been thinking lately I can’t be with anyone else.”

Kenta rubs the back of Insoo’s neck gently. “I love you too. I don’t think of anyone but you. I’m sorry. I’m older so I should take better care of you.” 

Insoo looks up at him finally, his eyes are soft and wet and Kenta can’t help but smile fondly at him. “Hyung, are you sure you want to be seen with me?”

Kenta smiles. “I am sure that I’m going to stop being cowardly about introducing you. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you’ll meet my friends.” 

“Thank you, hyung,” Insoo says nuzzling back under Kenta’s chin. “I mean it. I love you so much.” 

“I love you too.” Kenta kisses the tip of Insoo’s nose. “Let’s go to bed, okay?” 

 

Later, when Kenta is half asleep (and half hard, not that he has any energy to do anything about it), Insoo rolls on top of him so he’s sitting in Kenta’s lap. 

“Yes?” Kenta asks tiredly. “What do you want?”

“Since you’re older than me,” Insoo says, rolling his hips down on Kenta’s, “does that mean I can call you daddy?” 

Kenta feels himself getting softer as he pushes Insoo off of him. “Get off of me, ugh I can’t believe… Insoo! You’re terrible.” 

Kenta can practically hear Insoo’s pouting as he stubbornly hooks his leg over Kenta’s waist and snuggles into his side. 

 

Kenta thinks the creepy guy has finally gotten the message that Kenta is absolutely not interested when the guy just comes in later than usual and Insoo can yet again see him flirting with Kenta and this time he writes his phone number on the back of his receipt and slides it back to Kenta, who accepts it but plans to throw it away the second the guy leaves the cafe. 

Insoo is sulking instead of scowling when he goes over to Seonho’s place at the dessert display and asks for something that will make him feel less sad (and Seonho declares one can’t be sad while eating any cake) so Kenta makes a note to bring Insoo another coffee as soon as he can leave the cash register. 

When he can, he takes a latte over to Insoo (who is stuffing his face with cake) and sits down across from him. “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Insoo says. Kenta gives him a look and Insoo shrugs and grumbles, “I saw someone I didn’t expect to see earlier, and then that jackass was here flirting with you, and I’ve been thinking a lot.” He stabs his cake and shovels more into his mouth. “I’m stressed.” 

“We’ll talk when we get home, okay?” Kenta gives Insoo’s shoulder a squeeze as he stands up to go back to work. Kenta makes sure Insoo can see when he fishes the receipt out of the pocket of his apron, crumples it, and tosses it in the trash.

 

“You’re free this weekend right?” Insoo asks. 

“Yeah, why?” 

Insoo rolls over to look at him. “Do you want to come with me to visit my parents?” 

“Oh. Sure.” 

“You don’t have to. If you’re not into that. Meeting my parents. You don’t have to come.” 

“I’ll go with you. What brought this on? You don’t usually visit them.” 

“I told you, I was thinking.” Insoo suddenly looks very shy. “Since I want to be with you forever… I thought maybe my parents should meet you.” 

“Of course I’ll meet them, Insoo,” Kenta says gently.

“I just don’t know what to expect,” he says softly. “I was a real brat when I was a teenager and I yelled a lot about how I wasn’t going to go home ever or see them again when I left. But I thought since I’m older I should try to talk to them more, since I’m an only child.”

“That’s good. That’s really good.” 

“I don’t know what will happen. I didn’t really have boundaries when I was younger, but I feel like they might draw the line now that I’m older.” Insoo bites his lip. “I don’t even know if they know I’m not going to bring home a girl.” 

“I think I still have a skirt in the back of the closet if you want me to wear it.” Kenta laughs. Insoo doesn’t answer so Kenta looks over at him and then down and sighs. “You’re really relentless, aren’t you?” 

Insoo rolls on top of him. “I’m still young.”

Kenta giggles as he eases Insoo’s shirt off of him. “You are. And you’re incorrigible.” 

“Incorrigible? That’s a big word. Who taught you those big words?” 

Kenta starts snickering. “Longguo had to pretend he was reading so he was staring at a dictionary. I stared with him.” 

Insoo snorts. “You graduate students are weird.” 

“So you’re the one who gets turned on because I mentioned I still owned a skirt but I’m the weird one?”

Insoo bends down to kiss him. “Shut up.” 

 

“Wow,” Kenta blinks. “You sure are eating.” 

Insoo blinks up at him with slightly hurt eyes. “What are you saying about me?” 

“Nothing, I’m just noticing you’re eating a lot.”

Insoo looks a bit watery eyed. “Hyung.” 

“It’s not a bad thing,” Kenta says placatingly. “But you eat more when you’re stressed. What’s bothering you?” 

“Nothing,” Insoo mumbles. “I’m fine.” 

“You can tell me,” Kenta says. “Whatever it is.” 

Insoo frowns and pokes at his food. “I gave you a lot of shit about not telling people the truth about us, but I feel like I can’t really tell my parents how we met. I’m afraid of how they will react.”

“It’s okay,” Kenta says gently. “Parents are different than friends.”

“I feel bad,” Insoo says. 

“Don’t,” Kenta shakes his head. “That doesn’t upset me. I understand.” 

Insoo is still sulking as he returns to shoveling food into his mouth. “I’m going to the hairdresser.” 

“Okay,” Kenta says. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” 

 

When Insoo comes back from the salon, Kenta gets a shock. 

“You scared me,” Kenta whines, pressing Insoo’s hand flat against his chest so he can feel the racing of Kenta’s heart. “You look so different I thought you were breaking in.” 

Insoo flicks black hair out of his eyes. “Do you not like it?” 

“I’m just surprised. I’ve never seen you with dark hair.” Kenta runs his fingers through Insoo’s hair. “You look like a whole different person.” 

“This is my natural color.” Insoo huffs. 

“But I’ve never seen it this color. You’ve been blonde since we met.” Kenta smiles. “I like it. You look good with dark hair too.” 

Insoo beams a little as he buries his face in Kenta’s shoulder. “I’m glad you like it,” he mumbles against Kenta’s neck. “I think the shock of seeing my dark hair will distract my parents a little from bringing you home with me.” 

Kenta just laughs as he keeps petting Insoo’s hair, trying to get used to it. “It feels like I’m going to bed with another man,” Kenta teases. “You look so different.”

Insoo pouts at him. “Hyung, were you thinking of going to bed with another man?” 

Kenta strokes the side of Insoo’s face. “My boyfriend isn’t home,” he says playfully, “you can stay for a while,” and then yelps when Insoo picks him up. “Lee Insoo!”

“I’m not Lee Insoo,” Insoo says as he tosses Kenta onto their bed. “I’m the stranger you’ve been thinking of getting into bed with.” 

“Well then you should make it quick so my boyfriend doesn’t catch you,” Kenta plays along and pulls Insoo on top of him.

 

“By the way,” Kenta yawns as he wraps his arms around Insoo’s waist. “I brought home muffins from the cafe. We had a lot of leftovers.” 

“Okay, hyung,” Insoo says. He tilts his head back. “Do you really like my hair?” 

“Of course I do,” Kenta answers. “I like everything about you.” 

“I like you too, hyung,” Insoo smiles contentedly as he rubs his head under Kenta’s chin. Then he adds something baffling, “and now the carpet matches the drapes.” 

Kenta cranes his neck to try to look at the curtains they spent too many hours struggling to put up when the moved in before looking back and trying to see the little rug they have on the side of the bed but Insoo is snickering. “It’s nothing, hyung, it’s nothing. Go to sleep.”

“You’re strange,” Kenta says fondly as he cuddles against Insoo’s back.

 

Kenta wakes up early to wash up and tidy the flat since he and Insoo plan to be away for the weekend, but Insoo makes this more difficult by waking up to smuggle muffins to their bed where Kenta finds him stuffing muffins into his mouth and getting crumbs everywhere. 

“Insoo!” Kenta groans. “You’re making a mess.” 

Insoo just pouts at him as he begins to pick crumbs off the sheets and sweep them into the muffin liners. Kenta sighs at him fondly when Insoo comes back and hugs him, whining softly about being stressed out.

“It’ll be fine,” Kenta says soothingly. 

Insoo continues to stuff muffins in his mouth even as he drives on their way to meet Eunki and Hwanwoong until Kenta confiscates the bag. “Your car is so old if you get crumbs between the seats it’ll probably get into the engine and your car will fall apart.” 

“Hyung, I don’t think that’s how cars work,” Insoo looks at him. 

Kenta isn’t so convinced, because Insoo’s car was already old when Insoo bought it and now it’s even older and who knows what’ll make this old clunker break down? Kenta just doesn’t really want to be in the car when it does decide to come apart on the road. 

Kenta tries to pawn off the remaining muffins on Eunki and Hwanwoong because Insoo has been scarfing them down (and Kenta is fully aware they’re rather stale) and manages to get rid of most of them even with Insoo whimpering in his ear and breathing down his neck, demanding to be fed. Insoo sighs out his worries to his friends, though neither seems overly concerned at the prospect of Insoo going home. It puts Kenta more at ease because Eunki and Hwanwoong have known Insoo and Insoo’s parents for much longer than Kenta has and if they don’t feel worried, Kenta won’t feel worried either. 

“Let’s not tell my parents how we met,” Insoo says suddenly. “Let’s lie.”

“If they ask I’ll pretend to not speak Korean,” Kenta answers back smoothly. It would be the best solution rather than making up a story they’ll have to remember. 

Insoo looks at him with a starry, dewy look in his eyes. “This is why I love you.” 

Kenta smiles at him slyly as he begins to nuzzle the side of Insoo’s face before biting at his ear and tugging on his earrings with his teeth and sucking on Insoo’s earlobe. 

“Please don’t do that in public,” Eunki says witheringly. Kenta withdraws, only because he loves Eunki, and Eunki is a gentle and sensitive soul. 

Kenta doesn’t quite catch the words Insoo and Hwanwoong exchange, he only hears Insoo yelping in pain as Hwanwoong goes to kick him under the table. Kenta begins to fuss over Insoo immediately. “Do you want me to kiss your shin better?” Kenta offers. Insoo nods his head pathetically. Kenta leans in closer. “Do you want me to kiss you somewhere else too?” Kenta can feel the heat rising off Insoo’s face. “Would you like that if I kissed you wherever you wanted me to?” 

When they stand up to leave, Insoo shuffles awkwardly behind him and when they get in the car Kenta laughs. “Let hyung take care of you.” 

Insoo’s face is bright red. “Really? Getting crumbs on the seats is going to damage the engine but not this?” Insoo’s voice catches as Kenta unzips his pants. 

“I’ll be quick. Your car won’t notice,” he promises, ducking his head over Insoo’s lap. 

 

“I didn’t know you liked to roleplay,” Kenta snickers. 

“This is not roleplay,” Insoo says hotly. “This is practice for when my parents ask you questions. Please play along, hyung.” 

Kenta nods and puts on a serious face. 

“So, how did you and Insoo meet?” 

Kenta stares into Insoo’s eyes. “I met your son because I heard he was into kinky, rough sex.” 

Insoo shoves Kenta backwards off of their bed and Kenta lands flat on his ass with a loud bang. 

 

The drive to Insoo’s parents’ house is uneventful. Kenta hums along to the scratchy sound of the radio while Insoo drives. He’s been quiet since the morning and Kenta assumes it must be the nerves. 

Kenta shifts in the passenger seat so he can look out the window. He has a small cake box balanced on his lap because he had insisted visiting empty handed was rude (a thought not shared by Insoo who had shrugged and told Kenta to do whatever he wanted). This led Kenta to run over to the cafe that morning for something small and Taemin had boxed it up for him while Kenta tried to discreetly rub his lower back which was still smarting from Insoo pushing him out of the bed. 

“Are you okay?” Taemin had asked. 

“Yeah, my back just hurts,” Kenta answered. Taemin’s eyebrows began to recede into his hairline before Kenta noticed his look and hastily said, “Not because of that! I fell out of the bed. Wait, not like that either!” 

Taemin had laughed as he tied a curly ribbon around the box. “Stop while you’re ahead. Have a safe drive.” 

Kenta smiles faintly as he thinks of it. Insoo sighs heavily beside him. “We’re almost there.” 

“Okay. Are you feeling alright?” 

“Yeah,” Insoo shrugs. “I feel as okay as I can be.” 

The walk up to the front door feels more tense than it should be, and Insoo kind of looks like he wants to bolt, but they manage greetings well enough. Kenta bows deeply and gives Insoo mother the cake he brought. The atmosphere is a bit awkward but Kenta tries his best to smile and be courteous. Insoo is bouncing his leg beside him on the low, stumpy couch they’re sitting on and Kenta thinks it might be a little broken when he shifts his weight and hears the couch creaking. He wouldn’t have expected Insoo to grow up in such an old fashioned looking place, but Kenta supposes that’s why Insoo was such a rebellious teenager. 

“How did you two meet?” Insoo’s father asks them. 

Insoo panics and looks over at Kenta and Kenta says the first thing that comes to mind, “Uh, dance competition!” 

Insoo runs with it. “Yeah, we met at a dance competition.” 

Kenta doesn’t think they’ve even convinced themselves that was how they met so Insoo’s parents don’t look remotely convinced. 

“And what do you, Kenta sshi?” Insoo’s mother has the grace to seem a bit interested even though she keeps glancing over at her son, who is pointedly avoiding eye contact. 

“I’m a graduate student,” Kenta answers immediately. “I’m studying to be a translator.” 

“Oh then you must be a bit older than our Insoo,” she says, looking significantly at Insoo. 

“Just a little,” Insoo grumbles. 

“You didn’t tell us you were seeing anyone,” Insoo’s father says. His words are rather sharp. “Much less another man.” 

Kenta winces slightly as he sees Insoo’s expression darken. “That wasn’t a phase and it never was.” 

Insoo’s father narrows his eyes. “I thought you would grow out of this rebellious behavior…” 

Insoo stands up abruptly, dragging Kenta to his feet and beginning to push him towards the door. 

“Insoo,” Kenta says softly. 

Insoo presses something into his hand, it’s his car keys, “Please go wait in the car.” 

“Insoo!” Kenta protests.

“I’ll be there soon. Please wait for me outside, hyung.”

Kenta goes because Insoo looks at him too imploringly and Kenta can’t say no. He hates it though, sitting in Insoo’s car, twiddling his thumbs, watching the clock, and twisting in his seat to see if Insoo is coming yet. A half an hour passes before Insoo finally emerges and climbs into the driver’s seat. Kenta hands over Insoo’s keys. 

They start driving back and they sit in silence until they’re on the highway. Kenta looks over at Insoo’s dark expression. “Insoo…” 

“It’s fine, hyung. Don’t worry about it.” 

“Are you sure?” 

Insoo nods tightly and they lapse into heavy silence. 

They make it home without saying anything else and Insoo goes to lay down on their bed. Kenta pats his side gently and goes to the kitchen to root around their fridge for something to feed Insoo. 

“What are you looking for?” Insoo comes and leans over Kenta after Kenta has spent far too long looking in the fridge. 

Kenta sighs. “I thought we still had pudding. I guess we don’t.” 

“I’ll go and buy some, hyung.” 

“I can do it…” 

“No, I want to go walk and clear my head.” Insoo kisses Kenta’s forehead. “I’ll be right back.” 

Kenta paces while Insoo is out at the supermarket and wonders what happened when Insoo made him leave. He hopes it wasn’t anything too serious. 

Insoo comes back with what looks like an entire supermarket aisle’s worth of puddings and Kenta stacks them in the fridge while Insoo goes to sit down on their bed with a mountain of puddings and begins to slurp them down in earnest. Kenta sighs. It’s obviously stress eating which means whatever Insoo and his parents fought about was serious.

 

Kenta lets Insoo sulk for the rest of the weekend and into Monday until Eunki asks Kenta if Insoo is okay. Kenta honestly doesn’t know because Insoo has been tight lipped about his feelings and no amount of prodding has yielded any details. Kenta plans to ask Insoo about it, because his quiet is unsettling and Kenta is worried about him. Eunki is worried about him too, and Kenta thinks Eunki really is the sweetest. 

Insoo comes home late again and while he goes to shower, Kenta reheats dinner and sits Insoo down to feed him. Insoo is being gentle and snuggly, which is a good sign since for the past couple of days he’s been curling up by himself on his side of the bed.

“I want to talk about what happened at your parents’ house,” Kenta says. 

Insoo frowns. “Why?” 

“Because you’ve been upset and I don’t want you to be upset.”

Insoo shrugs. “It’s nothing. They had a lot of pent up frustration with me. For five years I’ve been rebelling against them. So they had a lot to say.” He looks up at Kenta. “Not about you. I was making them mad before you came along. They didn’t know about you the first time. You had nothing to do with this.” 

Kenta pets Insoo’s hair gently. “I’m sorry you fought with them.” 

“Hyung,” Insoo bites his lip. “You know I told you that Sangbin hyung was the only other person I’ve been with… that’s not totally true.” 

“What does that mean?” Kenta keeps his voice gentle. 

“When I first started high school, I made a friend in dance club, Woncheol. And he and I kind of realized we liked each other. Nothing happened, but my parents found out and my dad was getting a job transfer and my whole family moved. I knew why, so I rebelled like crazy and they thought if they let me be crazy I’d eventually get it out of my system, but I never did so now they’re upset.” Insoo nuzzles the side of Kenta’s face. “I didn’t know but Woncheol lives with Woodam hyung now. They’re friends. I saw him. It was strange because I hadn’t thought of him.” 

“Oh?” Kenta smiles softly. “Why am I feeling jealous now?”

“Hyung,” Insoo wraps his arms around Kenta. “I’m the one who is supposed to be irrationally jealous of everyone around you.” He squeezes harder. “I love you so much. I love you so much, I want to give you the whole world. And if my parents don’t like it, they can suck it.” 

Kenta’s not exactly sure what that means so Insoo amends a bit. “I don’t care what they think!” He buries his face in Kenta’s shoulder. “I want to be yours for the rest of my life.” 

“It doesn’t have to be so possessive,” Kenta chides gently. “I want to be yours too.” 

Insoo squeaks. “Hyung, do you mean that?” 

Kenta kisses Insoo’s forehead. “Of course I do.” He pecks Insoo on the lips and Insoo smiles. “I always mean it when I tell you I want to be with you.” 

And he does. Kenta loves Insoo so much he’s willing to be horrifyingly shameless, even in public (as long as they’re far enough from his place of work so he can keep his job). He introduces Insoo to Longguo and Longguo tells Kenta later that he’s sorry he asked to meet him after watching Insoo and Kenta “eye fucking” the entire time (Kenta wants to know who’s teaching Longguo such phrases but he decides against asking, figuring Longguo has graduated to reading slang dictionaries in his free time). It’s fun to act shameless in front of Longguo, but it’s infinitely more hysterical to do it front of Insoo’s friends who have bigger reactions and openly yell at them to stop acting like that in public. But Kenta is far too content to kiss Insoo in front of his friends and bite at his piercings and not think about anything or anyone else but him. 

“You’re mine,” Kenta says fondly, and Insoo’s face just lights up.

**Author's Note:**

> You can follow me on Twitter @jy_kim8008 where I scream about fics and life


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